Random Ideas
by theonlysaneone007
Summary: This is just a random collection of random ideas that I've had over the years. They vary from anime or manga, to cartoon crossovers. Some of them may be a little bit strange, so be prepared for the oddness. WARNING: There will be boyxboy relationships, violence, and slightly mature content.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Comashipping; Choices

 **A/N: OK. So this idea is one that I had while watching the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl series. It deviates a lot from the plot of the Sinnoh region onward, so be warned.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to or about the Pokémon franchise.**

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Description: The basic situation of the AU is that Ash is actually somewhat smart and uses his previous experience from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn to beat Paul in a Pokémon battle. Paul is somehow intrigued by Ash and his attitude towards Pokémon training and battles, and decides to travel with him. Of course, Paul has no clue how to act around people his own age due to his attitude. I had kind of intended that maybe his persona is a front to keep people away since he suffered an emotional trauma at an early age, so the snippet kind of put a bit of emphasis on that. So, Ash (being Ash) attempts to make friends with Paul, and eventually Paul kind of begins to trust him. But at that point, Brock and Dawn are sick of his prickly attitude and demand that he stop traveling with them. Ash tries to reason with them, but they force him to choose between them or Paul. Ash summarily chooses Paul and totally derails the plans of poor Arceus. That was about as far as I planned plot-wise, but the general story from there was kind of going on the lines of Paul either beginning to fall in love with Ash or just being _really_ close friends/brother-like with him. Whichever way it goes, Paul eventually gets to be a bit of a Yandere when it comes to Ash. This plus Ash's strength and experience eventually leads to the spectacular downfall of Team Galactic. I had planned on Unova being a bit of a vacation/training trip and Kalos being a league challenge for them, but I didn't think that far.

* * *

The Snippet

"Ash, we can't keep doing this! He's a monster!"

Surprised at the outburst from his friends, Ash furrowed his brow. Paul wasn't a monster!

"Eh… isn't that a bit harsh guys? He's not that bad."

Why were they so against Paul? He didn't understand, but they had had something against him ever since their first meeting.

"His personality is horrible, every time we turn around he's gotten into some sort of confrontation, his training methods are brutal, and he treats his Pokémon like tools! What about that _isn't_ bad?!"

What? Yes, he knew that Paul had some… okay, a _lot_ … of issues, but he wasn't that bad of a guy.

"Look, Dawn, he's getting better. I've been talking to him, and he's a good person deep down. All he needs is a friend."

He could see how lonely Paul was, so why couldn't they?

"Ha! Ash, I know that you see the good in _everyone_ , but he's truly horrible! I can't stand him and neither can Brock!"

Ash sighed as he saw Brock nodding along; agreeing with Dawn's every word. A soul deep tiredness set in, and he wondered what it would be like to have a peaceful journey, without conflict. Brock began to speak, rather calmly, as Dawn passed the conversation to him.

"Ash, I've known you for a long time now. I know how you can get when you want to fix someone, but Paul can't be helped. I think he's too far gone for you to reach and if you continue to try, your efforts are eventually going to blow up in your face."

He really should be more shocked, Ash thought, but at this point he was just about ready to actually head past frustration and right into anger. Speaking up, the strain in his voice clear, Ash was nearing the breaking point.

"Really guys, I'm rather disappointed in you. Brock, how many times have I ever backed down from helping someone who needs it? And Dawn, I thought you were more level-headed than this. Can't you just give him a-"

Brock cut in.

"Ash, I think your need to take a reality check. Paul can't be helped; he's truly just like this."

Frustration and tension seeping into his voice, Ash let out a breath.

"Look, I _know_ you guys don't like him, but-"

Dawn suddenly let out a shriek.

"ARGH! Stop trying to defend him Ash! You have to choose! It's either us, or him!"

The rage inside of him let out in one deadly hiss of a word.

 ** _"_** ** _What?!"_**

Dawn looked taken aback for a moment, as did Brock, before she gained a smug look. Sure that he would choose them she repeated her ultimatum.

"I _said_ , it's either us or him!"

All of the fight drained from Ash in an instant, and Paul knew what was coming. He had returned back to the camp from collecting the water and wood a bit early, but as he had heard shouting from the camp he had stopped just inside the tree-line. Determining what the debate was about he had scaled a nearby tree to observe, already knowing what the verdict would be. Witnessing Ketchum defending him had been a surprise to say the least, and the insight that he had was terrifying. He knew he wasn't easy to get along with (his mask plus his normal personality made sure of that), and he knew that he was destined to be alone. Just like now, he knew that Ketchum would go with his friends and leave him behind. It was good he supposed, like the other times a trainer had decided to follow him, but something about Ketchum was different. He had almost dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, the kind-hearted trainer could look past his mask and see him. Yet, having a friend was something that was too much to hope for, and Paul steeled himself for the inevitable answer he had heard many times before.

Ash however, was thinking something much different. His rage had compressed into a tiny little ball of burning power, and the sheer audacity of her demand was infuriating. He really was disappointed in them both. He'd thought that they would be more open-minded, perceptive. It was why he'd invited Paul along in the first place, thinking that maybe they could all be friends. It hadn't been long before he'd realized that Paul needed a push in the right direction, that he needed help to open up a bit. He knew he could be a draining force on some people, and he moderated the contact between Paul and his friends, hoping that Brock and Dawn could get over their initial dislike. It seemed he was wrong. He couldn't just leave Paul when he was so lonely, and his instincts had been screaming at him to _fix it_ ever since he'd met the other boy. He knew who he would choose, instinctively, long before Dawn had ever uttered that fateful phrase. The pull to follow his friends was strong, but the pull to be there for Paul and make sure that he was okay was _much_ stronger.

"Him."

And with that one word, Ash Ketchum once again sent the universe into chaos.

"What!?"

The shocked look on their faces was hilarious, Ash decided.

"You heard me. I choose Paul."

Paul himself was having a hard time believing what he had just heard, and as such he overbalanced. He let out a very embarrassing screech as he fell from his tree, right next to Ash. Ignoring his stunned friends, Ash looked to Paul. Stretching out a hand, and feeling quite pleased when the shell-shocked boy let him help him up, he began to make travel plans.

"Alright then. Come on Paul, I'll help you grab your stuff. We're leaving."

Brock and Dawn were still silent and shocked by the time Paul and Ash had gotten their gear together. As they turned to leave though, Dawn shot forward. Pikachu, who up until now had stayed silent by Ash, whipped around and fired a thunderbolt at her. She managed to dodge, but was suddenly struck by fear as the tiny little electric-type hissed and growled at her. Ash picked him up, quite surprised at his behavior.

"Hey, buddy, calm down. I don't think she meant any harm."

Pikachu let out a little whine of protest, but scurried up to his best friend's shoulder keeping a wary eye on the two until they were out of sight.

"Thanks."

The whispered word was barely distinguishable to Ash, but seeing how red Paul's face was he didn't mention anything. Sending a warm smile at the other trainer, Ash had a feeling that something important had just happened in the scheme of things. Putting that at the back of his mind for now, he replied with a sincere "It was nothing." Neither he nor Paul knew just how important this was, that whatever happened in their tenuous friendship would affect the very fabric of the universe, but for now they were content to travel on a dusty old trail off into the sunset.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This idea is a crossover between two cartoons. Ben 10 (the original series), and X-Men: Evolution. It doesn't make much sense, but it's been buzzing around in my brain for a while now. I've refined it a lot, but it isn't really story material. So, here it is!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything about or related to Ben 10 or X-Men: Evolution in any way.**

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Description: The general idea for this one is that Ben, during a fight with Vilgax/Kevin 11/some other baddie, gets zapped to another dimension. That dimension happens to be the X-Men: Evolution universe. He comes out of the portal in the woods outside Xavier's mansion/school, and he triggers the defense system. Disoriented, he ends up stumbling into the path of a laser and hits his head dodging. The X-Men find him and take him to the med bay, but every time they try to assess his wounds, the Omnitrix puts up a shield. When Ben wakes up, he goes into kind of a mini-panic (as most of the times he wakes up after a battle it's in enemy hands) and tries to get away. Unfortunately, he's surrounded. The way I thought it might go would be that the Professor and Jean Gray try to get Ben to talk to them, but he only answers in one of his alien's languages (thinks in it as well) to discourage them. Ben eventually ends up escaping and on the run, trying to find a way back to his home.

The Snippet

Ben groaned, stirring. He heard a gruff voice, commanding despite the volume.

"He's waking up, get the Professor!"

Opening his eyes, Ben saw a girl turn the corner out the door. Trying to sit up, and realizing that he was strapped down, he narrowed his eyes. Scanning the room (it looked like some sort of infirmary, almost like the one the Forever Knights had had him in once), there were two men. One was young one with brown hair and some kind of visor over his eyes, the other older and smoking a cigarette. There were various medical instruments, and one looked like one of those mind reading machines the Forever Knights had hooked him up to once. Quickly switching his thinking to Diamondhead's language (as it shorted out most machines… and human ears) he took stock of his chances of escape. It was possible that this was an outpost of the Forever Knights, but they hadn't put him back under. He could probably take Visor by surprise if he got out, but he'd have to go hero to get away from Fuzzy Face. And, oddly enough, they hadn't cuffed the Omnitrix yet. It was almost like they thought that he was harmless… oh. A vicious grin spread across his face. This would be _fun_.

* * *

Logan was the first to notice the kid waking up. Instructing Kitty to get the Professor, he turned back to watch him. The kid noticed he was strapped down (they hadn't wanted to take any chances), and to Logan's surprise and suspicion, he just narrowed his eyes and gave the room a thorough casing. He looked to Logan and Scott, as if assessing them. The kid had had him on edge ever since he had been brought in, but the grin on his face only unnerved him more.

They had found him on the grounds, dodging the lasers of the defense system. He hadn't noticed them at all, and when he had fallen and hit his head Logan had sprung into action. The system was shut down and the kid restrained in the med bay until he woke up, but his smell had been so _wrong_ that Logan had a hard time believing he was harmless. The others hadn't listened, but were rather offset as they tried to assess the damage done to the boy's head. That watch he had on had thrown up some sort of energy shield that not even Rouge could get through, and there was some sort of shield on his thoughts. There was nothing they could do, so Kitty, Scott, and Logan had been left to watch him. The sound of the door sliding open broke him out of his thoughts, and he almost allowed himself a small sigh of relief. The Professor had arrived.

* * *

Ben's gaze snapped to the door as it opened, and a bald man in a wheelchair entered the room. Behind him came the girl he'd seen earlier and a woman with white hair, both dressed rather oddly. He narrowed his gaze, looking for any weapons or tells. The odd garb could mean that the two women were shape shifters of some sort, and the man had a buzz to him that Ben recognized as the signature of a strong telepath. The man rolled his wheelchair to the side of Ben's bed, and began to speak.

"Hello young man. My name is Professor Charles Xavier, headmaster of Xavier's Institute for Gifted Children. How are you? You had quite an accident."

Ben simply snorted and glared daggers at the man. He absolutely _hated_ telepaths, especially as his experiences with them had been less than pleasant in the past.

"I'd like you to meet my colleagues, Aurora and Logan."

He gestured to the white haired lady and smoking man,

"And two of our students, Scott Summers and Kitty Rogers."

He gestured to the girl and Visor. Ben swept an assessing eye over all of them and went back to attempting to murder the Professor with his glare.

"I assure you that there is no danger here, but we will need your name so that we may contact your parents-"

Ben gave him a look, did this man think he was stupid or something! Sure, he was ten, he knew that; but it was grating on his nerves! Suddenly he stiffened, feeling another buzz just outside the door. He could feel something slip into his head and begin to work at the shields of the Omnitrix. It sent shooting pains through his skull and he added his own brainpower, pushing back the force with an angry screech. He smirked outwardly as he heard a cry of agony from the buzz and steadily increased the mental 'volume' until it left his head. Someone crashed through the door into the med bay, and Ben was a bit surprised to see a red headed teen crying in pain and clutching her head. It was a bit satisfying actually, as the petro-sapien language was _extremely_ painful to a telepath, and the human ear if spoken aloud. The Professor was looking at him strangely, and he felt another tentative brush at his shields. Calling the man many rather… creative… names, he saw him wince and felt him back out.

* * *

 **A/N: And this was as far as I got. I lost the train of thought here and I haven't been able to reconnect it and refresh it at all. It's not finished and there are a lot of plot-holes, but someday I might just revisit this and turn it into an actual story. Hope you enjoyed it!** **J**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Ash and the King- Misadventures through Hell (and various other places)

 **A/N: Hello Again! Sorry if it's been too long since I updated. School has been keeping me so busy, but since I've managed to catch a cold I got this done. It was written in the early hours of the morning, so it might read a bit rushed. Enjoy!**

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Description: An AU in which Ash and Dark Ash peacefully co-exist and they end up in lots of dangerous situations. It's kind of all over the place, but I envisioned Dark Ash as being rather delusional. I intended for him to have god-like power, and believing himself to be the executor of justice. It kind of took shape as somewhat dramatic and mature, yet humorous in certain ways.

* * *

The Snippet

The energy in the air was palpable, crackling like lightning strikes against her face. Her voice rose and fell in an eerie, lilting chant. Speaking a language long dead, she poured all of her being into this summoning. Marie Collings would not fail her king, not this time.

The young boy in the middle of the pentagram had struggled at first, in obvious pain from the magic she cast, and then he had stopped. Just out of the blue, he had frozen up and passed out. It was so sudden that she had stuttered for a millisecond before carrying on. As her chanting continued, the boy was lifted into the air, held up by chains created of the blackest magic known to mankind. It was rather odd, she thought, that he should look so peaceful in such a dangerous place; yet she knew he would likely not survive the night. Slowly, a chain so black it warped the reality around it began to form. Link after link originating from the boy's heart… no, his very _soul_. Still chanting she began to inch towards the chain, meeting it just outside of the summoning range. Grasping it in her hands, ignoring the _rippingtearingunmakingohgodithurts_ feeling in her soul, she _**pulled**_ **.** Stepping back again, the chant rising to a shrieking crescendo, a shape began to form beside the boy. Practically frothing at the mouth and running on the fumes of her energy, she ended the chant with a resounding note and saw the fruits of her labor materializing in the circle.

The boy had fallen into a crumpled heap, no longer supported by the magic, and standing next to him was a darker copy holding the other end of the chain. The cruel red eyes and dark aura only confirmed her conclusions, and she gaped in awe at the being before her. Eyes shining in reverence, she barely managed to breathe out a, "My King!" before she noticed something was wrong. He wasn't moving. Her King was simply looking at the boy on the ground (she was rather impressed the beauty was still breathing), bending down to straighten him out into a better position. His breathing was labored compared to the other, and she stepped forward.

"My King," she began with wonder, "You are here finally here! I, your faithful servant, have brought you here! I have freed you!"

The King turned around, a slow rumble coming from deep within his chest.

"… _You…"_

"Yes my King! I have been tirelessly working for your freedom, I have sacrificed everything for you, and I will follow you to the ends of the world if it means I can be with you! _Please_ , reward me with your power!"

She wasn't expecting the hissing laugh that followed her statement.

" _I am a_ _ **god**_ _you foolish mortal. You expect_ _ **me**_ _to reward a lowly_ _ **servant**_ _when I could have broken free myself?"_

Taken aback, she stumbled back to the wall as the King took a step towards her. There was a look in his eyes, one that even her blind devotion didn't trust.

" _Yessss. I've been watching you mortal, and you_ _ **disgust**_ _me. Your visions of grandeur and fame that center on you and you alone, the contempt you have for your husband, your… less than pure intentions toward_ _ **my**_ _host."_

She shivered; the King was nothing like she thought he would be. He sounded quite possessive towards his host (however unlikely it was), that darling boy, and he apparently would not stand for anyone else to have him. Where was the gratitude for calling him? The service, the riches, the power at her beck and call? No… this was not her king. Not at all. She shook her head, denying every charge with vigor.

"I have never done anything of the sort! I don't know what you are, but you are **not my king** you-"

She was abruptly cut off as the spirit flew out of the circle at blinding speeds, pinning her to the wall.

" _ **You foolish woman! You**_ _ **dared**_ _ **to injure my host, my**_ _ **partner**_ _ **! You call me through blood and death, rip me from him, and expect me to**_ _ **love you**_ _ **! And when I do not bow to you, you have the**_ _ **audacity**_ _ **to claim that**_ _ **I am not the King**_ _ **! You dare to question me! I have been patient throughout your paltry summoning, your foolish questions, your demands, but I am at my end! You are a pitiful excuse of a human being, no different than the criminal**_ _ **scum**_ _ **that I once executed. You have served your purpose and now I shall**_ _ **end you**_ _ **!**_ "

" _What_! How did you…"

Her sentence trailed off as she was pushed up against the wall. The unholy grin she saw spreading across the things face was answer enough. One mispronounced syllable and now she would pay for it. The chain fell from her hand to the floor with a sound warping bang, and she whimpered. Marie Collings had never particularly had a religion, but she prayed to every god she knew of that she would make it out of this alive.

Her prayers were never answered.

She screamed as pain so unimaginable seared her soul for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. As suddenly as it had started it stopped, and she had the sinking (terrifying) feeling that this was going to be her last day alive. Clinging to her last bit of sanity (she had lost most of it years ago, holding together the broken pieces of her life) she let out one soft whimper.

" _please…"_

That crazed and sadistic grin only widened, quite past the point of human.

" _ **Oh darling, we're only just getting started!"**_

She broke.

(The last sight the broken, tortured, mangled body and mind of Marie Collings sees is surprisingly gentle. A dark spirit holding the light of his life like he is the most valuable treasure in the world, and the last part of her still somewhat coherent can't help but agree that yes, he is.)

* * *

"ASH! ASH, CAN YOU HEAR US? OPEN THE DOOR! ASH!"

Ash Ketchum awoke to the shouts of his friends, the pounding on the door, and the warmth of the King resting peacefully inside his spirit. The splitting pain in his head and blood on his clothes confirmed that, unfortunately, the ritual hadn't been a dream. He tried not to look at the disemboweled corpse of Marie, but as he stood and moved forward he stepped into a massive pool of blood. Wincing and trying not to get sick, he stepped around what looked like her large intestine. She had not died peacefully, that was for sure, and he had the nasty feeling the King had something to do with that.

"ASH, ASH CAN YOU HEAR ME!"

Ah, he should probably answer them now. Clemont was sounding particularly distressed, and when that happened… things exploded. Violently.

"Guys! I'm okay!"

The sighs of relief were audible.

"I'm opening the door now, so don't look inside. Trust me on this; you don't want to see what happened."

As he pushed the heavy steel door out, he could hear the screams of the other workers in the factory. Maybe the King wasn't asleep after all, but he had gotten used to how violent and bloodthirsty the spirit was. As long as his friends weren't harmed, the King was allowed to kill as many criminals as he liked.

"Oh my Arceus-"

Ash was not prepared for the reactions of his companions. Clemont was vomiting on the floor, Serena was crying, Bonnie had fainted, and Clyde was staring in horror. They all seemed to be looking behind him… oh.

" _King!_ "

The screams upstairs ceased. Marie's corpse was so disfigured it was barely identifiable, and Ash could tell her death had been prolonged. Footsteps echoed down the silent hallway, and the twitch in Ash's eye became very pronounced as the King literally _skipped_ towards him.

" _What is it, pet?_ "

Serena screeched at the horrifying sight in front of them. Ash simply face palmed. The King was covered in fresh blood from head to toe, and carried a severed head. The look of glee on his face was unholy to the proportion of satanic cruelty.

"What have I told you, _repeatedly_ , about unnecessary torture?"

He could just _feel_ a stress migraine coming on, especially on top of his already horrific headache.

" _That it's cruel and unusual and should only be used in dire circumstances~"_

The sick glee in his voice was enough for Clemont to be violently sick again.

"How in the seven levels of hell was _this_ dire circumstance!"

Dropping the head, the King tilted his head and blinked. The very picture of innocence.

" _She hurt you!_ _ **Nobody hurts my pet**_ _!"_

Dropping his head into his hands, and heaving an exasperated sigh, Ash simply stood there for a minute.

"You know what, I'm exhausted, covered in blood, and I've got a massive migraine. Just get back in my head. I'll deal with all _this_ ," He gestured towards the room, "tomorrow."

Thankfully the King listened for once, and with a pout on his face he faded back into Ash and settled down. With that, Ash simply walked away.

"Ash, what is-"

Clemont's strained question was cut off as Ash whirled around with such a fierce look on his face that he fell down again.

"I _said_ , **tomorrow**."

(No one else dared to stop him from leaving.)

 **-End of Snippet-**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Just a warning, this one implies some boy x boy romance, so if you don't like that then skip the chapter altogether.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or anything related to the frachise.**

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Description: An AU in which Cilan has the ability to read other people's soul's. Ash intrigues him when it becomes clear that his soul is guarded, something that Cilan has never encountered before. It does have undertones of Cafemochashipping, so be warned.

* * *

The Snippet

It all started so innocently. A small flinch at a sound, guard up for hours after the threat was gone, on high alert all the time; he felt so stupid for not realizing it earlier. Up until that one fateful day, they had not realized how damaged their companion was. ( _I guess taking down criminal organizations isn't all fun and games, hmmm?_ ) Iris had called him a kid, immature, so many times that Cilan had lost count. He knew better.

You see, Cilan had a special… talent… of a sort. He could, in a sense, feel a person's soul. Most people brushed his uncanny ways of knowing things, like a favorite dish or a nervous tic, off as just reading people. It wasn't so. He just _knew_ things about people, and he knew that Ash was not a child anymore. Not by a long shot.

He knew his brothers' souls like the back of his hand. How Chili had so many insecurities and doubts in his abilities, and how he was secretly a perfectionist in a way that Cilan would be hard to match. How Cress, beyond his cool surface, was a raging storm filled with fire and passion. He was still getting a feel on Iris, but she felt so… wild. Untamed and unafraid to do what she thought was right, brazen with an almost narcissistic pride in her appearance and abilities.

Ash… Ash scared him, quite frankly. No matter how hard he had looked during the gym battle, afterwards, and even for weeks on the road with him, Cilan could not feel him at all. It was like he had built a fortress around his soul, but when Cilan first met Trip alongside Ash… there was a little bit of something there. It didn't last long enough to get a grip on, but Cilan was unnerved by how intense it was. Eventually, after months of trying, he had decided to let the matter rest. He did the best he could to be a good friend to Ash, and to mediate between him and Iris, but he couldn't just forget. ( _He knew he should let it go, but all he wanted was a little knowledge._ )

* * *

It wasn't until they were nearing Ash's sixth gym battle that he mustered up the courage to ask. Cilan had been cooking breakfast, and Iris had gone off somewhere to gather herbs. He had turned around to ask what Ash wanted, but found himself staring into warm amber eyes.

"You know, don't you."

"It isn't that hard to figure out, and I've met people like you before."

"Why…"

"Why do I build these walls on my soul? The last time anyone remotely psychic was around me without my walls in place… well, she went insane. You might fare better than most, but I don't want to hurt you."

"... I want to see. Show me why Ash! I don't understand you!"

Ash looked at him with eyes so full of sadness and regret, and those eyes seemed to suck him in. He was drowning in amber, falling so fast he couldn't breath.

Cilan had collapsed to his knees, holding his head as the pain gripped him. Ash's soul was terrifying. Steel, blood, petrifying fear, horrifying anger, massive amounts of kindness, gentleness, and power greater than Arceus all rolled up into one boy and he wanted it to _stopstop_ _ **stop**_! And as if hearing him, he could feel a gentle hand caressing his face. A melodic voice calling him back. A gentle kiss on his forehead, and he focused on Ash again. The relief in Ash's eyes was palpable.

"I guess you do fare better than the rest."

( _He can't quite comprehend that much power in one small, kind, but far from innocent little boy… and it scares him like nothing ever has before._ )

 **~End of Snippet~**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This one might not make much sense, and it is one of the older stories I've worked on. I may or may not eventually pick it back up and make it into a story, but for now it is just a snippet.**

* * *

Description: An AU of the Transformers Rescue Bots series in which Cody is the result of an affair that Chief Burns' wife had before she died in a fire. The man she had the affair with had powers and a lot of enemies, and Cody inherits powers of his own as a result. When Patricia Burns (Chief Burns' wife) dies, the Chief throws himself into his work and leaves the raising of Cody to his children. Unfortunately Dani is in University on the mainland and Kade goes MIA, leaving Graham (fifteen at the time) to raise Cody on his own. Cody grows up only knowing Graham, and being hated by the community they live in. Bearing the stress of having to raise a super-powered child, as well as having to defend him from attacks on his life, Graham finally snaps when Cody is seriously injured during his first school year. He creates new identities and moves them away from Griffin Rock in secret. Burning the house to fake their deaths, he and Cody move to the small town of Lincolnville, Maine. There, Graham takes on the identity of a Ms. Harriet Potter They live a peaceful live for five years until an old family friend tracks them down to offer Graham a chance to be a part of the rescue unit on Griffin Rock. Accepting, Graham feels like he's in over his head as he must deal with seeing his broken family together once more, and the aftermath of his decision so long ago. (It was eventually supposed to go one of two ways: 1) Due to an accident/slip up/attack, it is revealed that Graham and Cody are still alive and disguised. Graham eventually mends ties with the rest of his family and they take down the man behind all of the attacks on Cody.; or 2) Graham and Cody continue to live as the Potters, with Graham finally letting go of the past and creating new family bonds with the Burns family. They take down the men after Cody's life and live a happy, adventure filled life from then on.)

* * *

 _In which Cody Burns is not a normal child._

 **Age 2**

Graham was honestly at his wits end. He had exhausted every bit of his knowledge pertaining to young children, but nothing seemed to work! Cody cried and struggled so hard Graham almost dropped him (there would certainly be bruises tomorrow), and he sighed. It was days like this that he hated his father, resented his siblings, for leaving him with all the responsibility of raising Cody. He loved the little bundle of joy, but trying to stop a toddler who could lift their kitchen table with one hand from throwing a tantrum was exhausting.

"Why don't we go read a little bit, okay? It's time for your nap anyway."

Surprisingly, talking got Cody's attention and he (thankfully) settled a little as Graham began to walk to the bedroom. Grabbing Cody's favorite story he sat down in the old, worn rocking chair and began to read out loud. It wasn't until halfway through the second chapter that Cody nodded off, and Graham settled him down into his bed. Switching on the monitor that was kept on the dresser and grabbing the handheld, he stepped out of the room with a sigh.

In the kitchen as he grabbed a small snack and began to prepare dinner for him and Cody, Graham could only wonder how much longer this could last. For the past year, ever since Patricia (he refused to call her mother) had died, father had thrown himself into his work as an officer of the law and left the responsibility of raising Cody to him and his siblings. Dani had been at Med School and Kade was nowhere to be found, so Graham had been the only one. As Cody grew and began to walk he had begun to show odd traits. Hyper senses, an extreme healing factor (a small scrape could heal in seconds), and the ever telling incredible strength. He remembered many, many incidents in which he had to convince Cody that, no, the kitchen table wasn't a toy and could you _please put it down now_. It wasn't easy teaching him to be more careful in how he used his abilities, but he was terrified that if someone found out they would take his precious little brother away.

On the rare occasions that father had come home, he would be exhausted, irritable, or in the worst cases a horrible temper, and would go to the bedroom in the basement and sleep for a few hours before leaving again. Cody didn't even know him as more than just 'Chief', and would shy from the man if he was awake.

There was only so much he could take, and Graham vividly remembered the last time father had been there. He had followed him out to his car in the morning and confronted him, asked him when he was going to come home and stay there. Asked him when he was actually going to be a father. It had devolved into a shouting match of epic proportions and he could still feel the flush of blood in his cheeks, the strain of his voice, and especially the sinking feeling in his gut. Father had gotten in the car and sped out before the neighbors had, ironically, called the police on them; and Graham had been left standing in the rain, fuming. That had been over three months ago. His engineering job was enough to pay the bills, and on the occasion that he needed to supervise at a job site Doc Greene was willing to babysit, but it was overwhelming sometimes. By now Dani had graduated and was working in California on the mainland, and Kade was still MIA on them both. Graham just wanted them all back together. He just wanted them to be a family again.

* * *

 **Age 5- Kindergarten**

His heart pounded, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He fiddled with the steering wheel, pulled at his collar, checked his satchel twice, and adjusted his tie. Taking a deep breath, Graham stepped out of his car. It was open house for the kindergartners, and Cody was excited and ready to meet new people. Graham was just hoping to survive the night.

Helping Cody out of the car, he forced a smile onto his face as they moved past the other people in the parking lot. The stares and whispers were already following them, and Graham wondered why people were so scornful. He was nearing his breaking point, after years of rumors and attempts at his precious little brother's life. He was always on alert, and he tried to block out the insignificant people around them as he led Cody to the classroom he would be in for that year.

For now there weren't any threats, so Graham relaxed a minuscule amount. He still kept Cody in his line of sight as he went to play with some of the other children, and his smile gained an extra layer of tension as the teacher that Cody would be with this year (a Mrs. Birch) spoke with barely concealed contempt.

"Mr. Burns, I see that young Cody will be in my class this year."

 _That little demon-spawn will never know what hit him._

"Do you perhaps have any concerns?"

 _Not that I'll be taking them into account…_

"No ma'am, I think Cody will be just fine."

The teacher smiled, one just as fake as his, and a glance at Cody conveyed exactly what she would be doing this year. Graham was so done, but he simply said good-bye and called Cody back over to him. They left quickly, with Graham trying not to break down. He had endured this for four years, but it was really taking a toll. Cody, being a rather perceptive child, was quiet as they got in the car and went home. He only spoke up once they pulled into the garage, confusion coloring his voice.

"Mama, why don't they like us?"

Graham let out a tired sigh, shaking his head.

"I don't know Cody, I really don't know."

It had been four years of hell, dealing with the other people in their community. Graham loved his little brother with all of his heart, but sometimes he wished that his father had just stuck around for a little while longer. Rumors had spread like wildfire when he had begun to take Cody out and about with him a few years ago, and the hatred had grown from there. Graham honestly didn't know if it was the fact that Cody managed to be at the epicenter of every disaster that had hit the island in the past four years, or if it was the fact that everyone believed Cody was his illegitimate child. The little boy had called him mama ever since he began to talk, which he had given up on correcting by now, and they looked very much alike (despite being half-siblings). Graham could see where that theory came from, but the highly religious community they lived in was not very accepting of anyone who had a child and didn't marry. It was hard to block them out when they thought Cody was the spawn of the devil and his child, and while he did consider Cody to be his son (he had raised him after all) it was frustrating. Chief Burns did nothing to correct the misunderstandings, and he acted like he didn't even know Graham or Cody. It hurt.

Their siblings hadn't talked to him in years. Dani was too absorbed in her job to contact them, and despite all of his considerable hacking and tech skills, Graham still could not find Kade. Cody knew they were his siblings, but he had only seen pictures of them and the family when they were still together. Cody didn't _know_ them. Graham was so tired of living like this, on edge and in fear for Cody's life. There had been attempts, most of them being some kind of super freak out for revenge (at least that's what a lot of them claimed), and Graham was finding it harder and harder to get Cody away from them each time. They needed an out, badly.

"Mama? Are you okay? You're really quiet."

Smiling down at Cody as the seeds of a plan were sowed in his mind, Graham responded.

"Of course Cody. In fact, I feel better than I have in a long, long time. Come on, why don't we go bake some cookies."

Cody took off for the kitchen, cheering at the thought of cookies, and Graham followed behind at a more sedate pace. Perhaps they could find a way out of here; perhaps everything would soon be okay again. He certainly hoped so.

* * *

 **Age 8- Third Grade**

Graham Burns was a happy man. Listening to the news and smiling at the mention of a meteor crashing near Area 51 in Nevada, he could only laugh at the speculations some people could come up with. He was content with his normal life, and he wouldn't trade it for anything. The small town of Lincolnville, Maine, was tranquil and full of great people. He was a normal person, and today was a normal day. The house was clean, his project was finished and off to the site, Cody was flourishing in school, and he actually had time to read a book. Of course, he wasn't truly Graham burns anymore, but it was a small price to pay for the safety of his son.

Three years ago, halfway through Cody's first school year, there had been an attack. Some man had busted into the school, taken Cody, and then held the entire island hostage before the police managed to gun him down. The experience had left Cody recuperating in the hospital with severe wounds, and Graham had snapped. He had spent an entire week awake in the hospital with Cody, making sure that nobody had tried to hurt him in his vulnerable state. He had also been hacking almost nonstop, a feverish plan burning in his mind. By the time they had left the hospital, Graham was certainly suffering severe sleep deprivation and eyestrain. Through some not-so-legal paths on the internet, he had set up an entirely new life for himself and Cody in a small town all the way in Maine. It was something that most would think impossible, but 120 hours of insanity, no sleep, and desperation can certainly do the trick.

Graham had taken Cody home, and immediately began packing. A confused Cody had done the same, following Graham's instructions of taking only his most important things. Graham had packed every memento of his family that they had in the house, sent some of the more important family heirlooms to his father through the mail, packed toiletries and a change of clothing in a travel bag, and told Cody to wait in the car. He lit some old towels on fire, dropped them in the living room, and then ran to the car as the room caught fire. He got them to the airport, and a rather tired looking "Harold A. Potter" and his son Cody "Potter" barely caught their flight to Bangor, Maine. During the flight, Cody was quietly instructed by Graham about their new life. He was quick to understand, as Cody was a bright kid, and by the time they got to Bangor Cody knew enough about their new life to pass a loose inspection. Catching a bus to Lincolnville at midnight, and then getting to their new house by two in the morning, they had both collapsed onto the floor and slept until four in the evening the next day. After that, it was just a matter of adjusting to a new town and new place. Cody had flourished, and Graham had gladly left his old identity behind. Of course, the one thing he couldn't get Cody to stop doing was calling him mama. He had a feeling he would never be able to get him to fully stop, but at least he was androgynous enough to pass either way.

Thinking about his old life was never pleasant, but as Harold Potter he had a life away from all of that. Sure, he may not have had close friends, but he didn't really feel the need for them. Cody was his number one priority, and that was the way it would stay.

(And besides, a twenty-three year old with a child? That implied all sorts of things that Graham _really_ didn't want Cody to have to deal with.)

* * *

 **Age 10- Fifth Grade**

It was dark out, and raining hard as Harold Potter strode down to his favorite café. Cody was sleeping over at his friend James's house, and he had some time to kill before he inevitably needed to go fix some mistake at the site of his latest project. It was hard to remember sometimes that the people in this town weren't raised on Griffin Rock. He took for granted his knowledge of advanced technology, but it did get frustrating whenever he had to correct someone who didn't know how to use it.

Entering the small, hole-in-the-wall cafe, Graham slid into a booth in the back of the store. Ordering his usual black coffee and pastry, he noticed something odd. There was a man looking at him from across the street, and he looked familiar. The first stirrings of unease settling in his heart, he ran through anyone he could remember from Griffin Rock. It was true that they most likely thought him and Cody dead by now, but one couldn't take any chances. The man began to move towards the cafe, he was holding a briefcase that looked rather suspicious-

"Here's your usual Ms. Potter. Will that be all for tonight?"

Jumping slightly, he looked up at the waitress as she laid down his food.

"Oh, y-yes Lillian."

She smiled and left, and Harold let out a sharp breath of tension. The bell on the door rang as the man came inside, and he forced himself to act normally. Taking a bite of the delicious pastry, he watched as the man spoke to Lillian and the other employees on the graveyard shift. They soon left to the back room, leaving Harold and the man alone in the dining area. Harold forced himself not to bolt as the man slid into the booth across from him.

"Hello again Mr. Burns, it's been a long time."

Crap. Harold- Graham- tensed.

"I'm sorry, but I believe you are mistaken. My name is Harriet Potter."

Giving him the female nickname should throw him off, as Graham had taken to wearing clothes that presented him as female. That, his soft voice, and his gentle demeanor made sure that most of the people in this town mistook him for female. Anyone who dug deep enough to find Harold was told the story about parents who wanted a boy and named their girl such. The man simply laughed.

"No, I remember your eyes Mr. Burns. That, and I managed to trace you here. I must say I'm impressed with your hacking skills. It took _me_ five years to track you and your brother down here, and I'm the man who has to find and communicate with alien robots that disguise themselves as cars!"

Alien robots? Graham was seriously considering making a run for it when the man's face clicked.

"Agent Fowler? I thought you were stationed in Nevada!"

The man chuckled, obviously enjoying his look of surprise. Of course, he stopped as Graham slapped a hand over his own mouth, his face conveying terror and tension.

"Kid, I don't know why you did what you did, nor do I know why you seem to be so intent on keeping up your cover, but I'm only here to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime."

Still shaking, Graham could only hope he was actually here to do what he said. He remembered Agent Fowler from when he was younger, the year before Cody was born. He had been talking to his father about his job, finding and identifying alien robots who could disguise themselves as normal transportation. He had dismissed it at the time, but now…

"These are the Rescue Bots. They're a Cybertronian rescue unit, the last of their make, and they arrived on Earth two years ago. You may remember the hysteria that was caused by their landing. We've been meaning to transfer them to Griffin Rock to form a partnership with the rescue workers there, but they needed some rather intensive healing from the shock they received upon awakening from stasis. So far we've recruited your sister Dani, your brother Kade, and your father. All we need is someone to partner with Boulder. The thing is, only you could be the one to do that. Despite his looks, the big guy is quite the intellectual. He's also the one most effected by the destruction of Cybertron. He's ready for duty, but he needs a partner that could at least give him a run for his money. You are the first choice."

Looking at the picture of the four… Cybertronians… that Agent Fowler had pulled from his briefcase, Graham could see the hurt in the Green one's eyes. It seemed to be exponentially worse than that of his companions, and it tugged on his parental instincts. The picture was labeled, and he could see the significance in all of their names. The red one was Heatwave, the blue one was Chase, the Yellow-Orange one was Blades, and the green one was obviously Boulder. Cursing his bleeding heart, Graham found himself opening his mouth to speak.

"I'll do it, but there will be conditions."

Fowler looked taken aback, but nodded. He pulled three thick packets out of his briefcase, as well as a notepad and pen. Handing the packets over to Graham and taking up the pen, Fowler looked expectant. Packing the packets in his satchel and taking a deep breath, Graham began.

"Okay. First off, I don't want anyone else on the team other than myself and whomever I choose to tell to know who I am or who my son is. We will be using the names we've had for these five years. Secondly, I want full erasure of how you tracked me down, and where my son and I will be going. There is no way in hell I'm letting anyone find us again. Third, I'll need access to some kind of training facility. I'm certified as an engineer, not a rescue worker of any kind. Finally, I would like to have you personally oversee the transfer of my son and I to Griffin Rock. After all of the psychos I had to deal with I don't trust a lot of people, and I want to make sure that nobody will leak any information."

Fowler finished writing down the conditions with a flourish, and they vanished into the briefcase.

"I think we can make this work kid. I do realize you'll need training, and I know for a fact that you are a genius. It's going to take a year to get the necessary requirements for the program set up, so you'll have enough time to learn. Funding should be in your account by tomorrow morning. Although one thing concerns me, and as an old family friend I feel obligated to ask. Your brother Cody, why would you call him your son?"

That simple question was enough to fill Graham with sadness and rage. Questions like these always brought him back to how his family had shattered into pieces that could never be put back together.

"Agent Fowler, I have raised Cody since he was a year old. I did it on my own, from the time I was fifteen. I taught him right from wrong, responsibility, everything he knows, and he's never seen me as anyone other than his mother. He may be my half-brother, but I see him as my son. Now, if we're done here I need to go home and look over all of this."

Agent Fowler blinked, and then he stood up to help Graham up.

"What-?"

Fowler simply smirked.

"If you're going to be presenting as female to the rest of your team, I might as well start helping you with that. Now, I'll walk you home and we can talk with your… son… in the morning."

Smiling rather hesitantly, Graham led the way out of the cafe, leaving the check for his meal at the table. Walking home next to someone who knew who he was and didn't inherently hate him was nice, and he wondered if perhaps this could be the start of something new for both him and his son. Only time would tell.

~End of Prologue~

* * *

 **Chapter One: A New Beginning (Age 11- Sixth Grade)**

"Come on Mom! Hurry up!"

Graham sighed, a fond smile on his lips as he put the last touches on his makeup. His outfit was chosen especially for this occasion, accentuating curves and feminine features. It helped that some of the newer technology out there could produce hard-light holograms. A bit of tinkering and placing it into a bracelet, and voila! Feminine presentation complete. Grabbing his coat and locking the door behind him for the final time, Graham teared up a little bit. This was the house that they had so many good memories with, and they were leaving it behind.

"Ma'am?"

The new owners of the house were waiting for the keys, the woman looked rather sympathetic.

"I'm sorry, it's just the memories. Here you go, and make sure you take good care of it."

They smiled, obviously happy to have a house of their own, and Cody called once more from the car.

"Mom! Come _on_!"

Adjusting his satchel, Graham walked carefully down the snowy driveway. Moving on New Year's Day was rather cliche, but it was also a week until the ceremony on Griffin Rock. He and Cody would need that week to settle into their new house near the station, and Fowler was overseeing the transfer as they had agreed earlier on. Of course, there were changes made to their story. Not much though.

Settling into the passenger seat of the unassuming black van, Graham smiled at Agent Fowler. He was driving them to the airport, where they would board the military plane that was transferring the bots and the others to Griffin Rock. Cody was actually rather excited about this, seeing as they were going to be around Cybertronians quite a lot. Graham had the feeling he was going to have to remind Cody to not try to pick them up when he first saw them. He had a nasty habit of doing that to people and animals, and it had been the shock of Agent Fowler's life when a ten year old boy had picked him up and squeezed hard enough to bruise his ribs.

"Mom? Do you think they'll all be nice? Will your dad know who you are? Will your partner like me? I hope he likes me. In fact, maybe we can all play twenty questions or truth or dare or something like that. Or maybe-"

Cody continued to ramble on, and Graham could only smile at his antics. He really didn't know how to feel about seeing his family again, after all of these years. Cody wasn't going to be very affected, as he had next to no memory of them, but seeing the people who had left them behind… it was going to be hard to keep up the pretense of not knowing them. Agent Fowler was smiling as well, though he was most likely anticipating the shock of the Burns and the bots. None of them expected a single mother with a child. They had just been told that one of the best engineers in Maine had accepted the job, not who that engineer was. Once Cody had gone silent, Graham turned back to see him with his headphones on. It was a couple of hours to the airport, and they had time to kill. Agent Fowler spoke up, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

"So, you think you'll be able to handle this kid? I know you don't really like your family."

Graham felt his features twist into a parody of a smile, instead producing a grimace.

"I really don't know how to feel Will. I mean, they're my family. They also left Cody alone."

"He had you there with him all the way though."

Memories of sleepless nights, days spent crying, and constant anxiety filtered in as he winced.

"I was _fifteen_ Will. I couldn't drive, let alone raise a child. I'm grateful that he turned out so well, but I worry all the time now that this will be the worst decision I could have made. I don't know if anyone would recognize him, and I really don't want to have to deal with all of those toxic people again."

Fowler reached a hand over to pat him on the shoulder, trying to reassure Graham.

"Kid, you did fine. Cody loves you to death, and if all goes right you could try to cultivate some kind of relationship with them again. Even if you don't, Cody will do his best to befriend them. He's a friendly kid."

Letting out a sigh, Graham closed his eyes. He was overthinking things again, but he couldn't seem to help it.

"Why don't you rest kid? It'll be a while before we get there."

All he got was a distracted nod before Graham became lost in his own mind, staring out at the snowy landscape as it passed by.

When they arrived at the airport, Cody was practically vibrating with anticipation. Pulling up next to the massive plane they were set to fly on, Fowler leaned over to shake Graham out of his stupor.

"Come one kid, time to leave."

Graham shot up, startled, then tensed up as he registered the plane. Grabbing his satchel and gripping the handle, he pushed open the door of the van and smiled gently at the military guards who were rolling their luggage into the storage area of the plane. Brushing off his suit as he prepared to go back to Griffin Rock, he barely noticed the cold. Grasping Cody's hand, he stepped forward and onto the ramp leading up to the plane. As they entered the main area, he unconsciously tightened his grip on Cody's hand.

"Hey! What are this lady and a kid doing on this plane? Fowler, I think we got some mistaken people here!"

That loud, annoying voice was familiar. Too familiar. The sight of Kade Burns was painful. He had certainly changed a lot, with tattoos all over and some rather impressive muscles. Dani stood next to him, shaking her head at his words. She had grown up to be a lovely woman, and the pilot's uniform she was wearing suggested that she was tougher than she looked. Looking over at Chief Burns was what hurt the most, seeing him standing tall and proud. Nothing had changed about him other than the gray streaking his hair. Behind all three were the four Rescue Bots, standing unnaturally still. Fowler walked over at a rather leisurely pace, smirking.

"Actually Mr. Burns, this 'lady' is your fourth teammate, and Boulder's partner. This young boy is her son."

Kade reddened, and Dani stepped forward to fix his mistake.

"Hello, I'm sorry about my brother. He tends to mouth off more than he should. I'm Dani Burns, his sister."

Shaking her hand, Graham almost smiled. At least Dani seemed to be okay.

"I'm Harold Potter, though I'd like it if you called me Harriet, and this is my son Cody."

Cade blanched, turning pale behind Dani. Dani and the Chief looked a bit awkward.

"Oh, sorry about that. I forgot how people usually react when I tell them my name. My parents thought I would be male, so they named me Harold. Of course, I wasn't so they nicknamed me Harriet."

When they looked like they had calmed down, the rest of the introductions were made. Kade looked like he'd swallowed something sour as he spoke to Graham, and he seemed to be a little too unpleasant.

"The name's Kade Burns. I'm partnered with Heatwave over there."

Both of them looked less than thrilled with the arrangement. Dani spoke up with a laugh at Kade's misfortune.

"I'm partnered with Blades, the one who looks like he's going to pass out."

It was true. The bot, while still trying to act like a robot, was shaking just a little bit.

"Well, flying _can_ be scary if you're afraid of heights."

Graham had almost forgotten that the others didn't know the bots had free will and could think for themselves. They only thought that they were advanced government drones that were programmed to be almost human. There was an awkward silence as Dani processed what he had just said. Then Chief Burns stepped forward and Graham could barely focus on anything else.

"Glad to meet you Mrs. Potter, I'm Chief Charlie Burns. I'm the leader of this team, and I have been partnered with Chase over there. I'm so glad to-"

A small crash caused him to break off, looking over to see Cody on the floor beside Chase, rubbing his head. He looked to have run into the bot at a high speed, and judging by the slightest hint of a wince that Chase was displaying he had felt it.

"Cody! Get back over here and behave yourself!"

"Sorry mom, but can you believe it! Giant Robots! This is _so_ cool!"

Smiling as the tension in the air dissipated, Chief Burns chuckled. Graham's heart constricted and he forced himself to laugh as well. He was saved from having to say anything else by the pilot.

"We will be taking off in T minus 5, all personnel please take a seat and put on your safety restraints."

After that it was all silence as they strapped in and the plane taxied down the runway. The Burns engaged each other in banter and other conversations as the plane took off and leveled out. Graham could feel their glances, and his heart only constricted further. Cody simply held his hand, leaning into him and offering his support. His whispered encouragement was a balm to Graham's turbulent thoughts.

"It'll be okay Mom. You're the strongest person I know."

There was nothing left to do but hope that Cody was right. Graham couldn't feel anything but apprehension at the thought of Griffin Rock, but maybe their new beginning might restore some of his faith in the island's people.

"Thank you sweetie."

As the plane flew even farther from the home they'd made, Graham felt a tear run down his face. Maybe Cody was ready to return to Griffin Rock, but he certainly wasn't.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: The First Night**

When the plane landed at the only airport on Griffin Rock, Graham felt ready to bolt. His movements were almost mechanical as he picked up his satchel and grasped Cody's hand tight in his again. The ramp of the plane lowered with a whir, and the Burns called the bots down one by one. It was almost painful to watch the bots attempt to act like drones, and in no time they were on their way over to the nearby base. Graham simply stood looking at Boulder. If he left this plane, he could never go back. Cody spoke up.

"Mom, we need to go now. I know you don't really like Griffin Rock, but you can't back out now. The bots are going to need _someone_ you know."

A wan smile found its way onto Graham's face, and he felt the final clunk of the chains that would bind him to this island fall into place.

"Come on Boulder, transform and let's go."

As the sound of shifting metal filled the interior of the plane, Graham simply let go. It was like he was in a haze as Boulder followed him out of the plane. Climbing into Boulder's interior with Cody and placing his hands on the steering wheel; he barely noticed how the bot was driving for him. Cody was quiet, letting Graham think over what was happening. They ended up at the base at almost the same time as the others, and they all separated into four different garages. As their door finally hit the ground behind them, Graham fell away from the steering wheel.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

He could hear Cody, feel Boulder's confused rumble (and subsequent flinch), and see the garage/living room they were in, but it was like he was swimming in syrup. He could only remember the blood and fire and his son _screaming_ in pain as he fought to reach him.

"Mom? I'm calling Agent Fowler in here if you don't respond. Mom!"

And then someone was guiding him out of Boulder's interior, the sound of the bot shifting coming soon after. He was placed on the couch and stripped of his coat. Fowler's voice filtered through, saying something about shock and emotional exhaustion. There was a shout, and suddenly he felt the fire again. Watching as that monster hurt Cody again and again, and then struggling with him over his unconscious son. Watching as bullet after bullet ripped through his chest. Trying not to simply pass out from fear as his son's blood stained the pavement. Griffin Rock was nothing but a place of hurt, and he didn't know why he'd come here. He knew he shouldn't leave but he was sitting up and then-

"Is my partner alright?"

A gentle voice that silenced the room boomed out, and Graham snapped back. Flushing red at the concerned faces all around him (even the Burns), he was highly aware of the stares they all sent towards him.

"I'm fine."

The way he said it dripped with harshness and finality, and the Burns quickly left the room. Graham swept towards Cody, wrapping him in a hug and wishing that he could go back and fix everything. Agent Fowler slipped out in order to give the two some privacy, and Boulder simply stepped back.

"I'm sorry about that Cody. I was just a bit tired and forgot what I was doing."

The look Cody gives him tells him that he knows exactly what happened.

"You're not the only one dealing with this entire thing Mom. Just know that I'm here for you, okay?"

A bitter smile came over both of their faces for a second before it was replaced with one of happiness. Cody may not have remembered the event, but he certainly still had the scars. Turning to Boulder, Graham realized just how big he was. His mind switching over to a more logical train of thought, he was already planning on how he would be able to properly sync with the bot. Boulder had the same calculating look in his eye, and he was the one to speak first.

"You are aware of our sentience, am I not correct?"

"Yes, I'm aware. Even if I wasn't, I would be in a day or so. You guys aren't very experienced at acting soulless."

Boulder's face-plate stretched into a grin as he knelt down to their level.

"I know, Heatwave is especially terrible at it. I think he'll be the one that snaps first. I don't know what Agent Fowler was thinking when he placed him with Kade Burns of all people. That earthling in particular is very volatile."

 **~End of Snippet~**


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